Sport as language. Art as translation.
Opening Night
June 19, 2025
7–11 PM
Art Starts
(beneath Yorkdale Mall)
From crossover to composition.
An exhibition beneath Yorkdale Mall exploring the visual language of sport, identity, and community.
A month-long meditation on movement, memory, and play.
A bold collision of contemporary art and hoops culture where visionaries play above the rim.
This isn’t just an art show—it’s a cultural interception. Basketball gifted us with language, belonging, flight.Love, Art & Basketball reclaims that gift—remixing sport, identity, and creative resistance.
Artist Spotlight
Featuring diverse voices across disciplines:
Mallory Tolcher · Jamal Burger · Chantel Ness · Elicser Elliot · Neigh Ramirez · Charlie Lindsay · Kellen Hatanaka · Anthony Tuccitto · Ryan J Sidhoo · Andrew Parks · Jamal Omar · Stanislaw · Jamal Beasly · Antony Creary · Forbes Sang · Amy Sai Rui Ge · James Hewitt · Neigh Ramirez ·
plus a mixtape‑style visual set by Rayul.vfx
Workshops & Events
From hands-on workshops to game nights and guided forums, each moment invites you to create, connect, and move through the exhibit—together.
Moments that move. Energy you can feel.
From Opening Night to the NBA Watch Party and Youth Forum, each event is designed as both gathering and gesture. Expect art in motion, music in the mix, and conversations that linger long after the lights go out.
Creative Labs: Design, Movement, Story
Hands-on activations throughout the exhibit invite guests to engage directly with the art, the court, and each other. From jersey customization to artist-led experiments in form, fashion, and rhythm—each lab is a space to make, question, and play.
Located inside Yorkdale Mall.
Enter Yorkdale Mall and locate the Nike store on the main level. Look for the hallway to the left of the store, marked by the Art Starts logo. Take the elevator at the end of the hallway to the Lower Level (LL). We’re just through the doors on the right!
If you need assistance, please call us at 416.656.9994 or Yorkdale Security at 416.789.9950
Art Starts
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
Sunday
Gallery Hours
Closed
12-6pm
12-6pm
12-6pm
12-6pm
12-6pm
12-6pm
RSVP
RSVP for Opening Night.
Participate
Interested in exhibiting or teaching? Let us know and someone will reach out.
An initiative committed to fostering inclusion and opportunity across fashion, art, and community.
Through grants, partnerships, and programming,
Gucci Changemakers invests in visionary creators and cultural leaders—amplifying voices that shift narratives, shape industries, and imagine new futures.
Art Starts is an award-winning, charitable organization that uses the arts as a vehicle for social change. We create community-based arts programming that fosters self-expression, collaboration, and creativity in Toronto’s most underserved neighbourhoods. Since 1992, we’ve been pioneering community-engaged arts practices, collaborating with residents of all ages, and producing large-scale, community-centered art.
